1 Fact and 3 Rumors About Verizon Wireless’ iPhone

The long-awaited arrival of the iPhone on the Verizon Wireless network will reportedly become a reality later today at a special event in New York City.  It is almost certain that a CDMA version of the iPhone will be announced which will bring Apple’s smartphone to the largest cellular network in the United States.  While it is impossible to know for sure what will happen at Verizon’s event, we’ve identified one fact and three of the most likely to be true rumors about the announcement of the Verizon iPhone.

Fact:  No Simultaneous of Use of Voice and Data

Unlike AT&T’s GSM network, the CDMA technology used by Verizon’s network does not allow the simultaneous use of both voice and data.  That means that you can’t launch Safari and browse the Internet while on a call when using Verizon’s version of the iPhone nor can you use any apps that require an Internet connection.  While this may seem like a trivial point, there have been many times that I’ve been on a business call and someone on the call sends an updated version of a document we are reviewing.  Since I have an AT&T iPhone 4, I can simply check my email and open the document while on the call.  On Verizon’s iPhone, I would have to hang up, check my email and then rejoin the call.

Rumor:  Better Call Quality

While you can’t make calls while using the data connection on Verizon’s iPhone, the calls that you do make will sound better and have fewer drops than on the AT&T’s network.  That is due to the fact that Verizon has larger network than AT&T.  Also, Verizon has made improvements to its network to handle the massive data needs of Android powered devices as well as laptops that use Verizon’s wireless broadband service.

Of course, if Verizon struggles with the spike in data consumption caused by supporting the iPhone, then call quality could suffer as well.  If this happens, it is almost certain that AT&T will feel vindicated after its notorious struggles with handling iPhone traffic.

Rumor:  Alternative Hardware Design

The iPhone 4 was marred by an antenna design that was initially praised by Steve Jobs for its innovation but later proved to degrade reception when held in what came to be infamously referred to as a “death grip”.  While it is unlikely that an entirely new iPhone design will be unveiled by Verizon, it is possible that the design of the antenna will be changed to avoid a rehash of the controversy.

Rumor:  Unlimited Data Plan

Verizon currently offers unlimited data plans for its smartphones for $30.  This is in contrast to AT&T which removed the option for unlimited data for iPhone users last year.  Verizon may try to make its iPhone offering more attractive by pairing it with an unlimited data plan.  While few users go over the 2 GB limit set for AT&T’s highest data tier, iPhone power users may find the opportunity for unlimited data to almost irresistible.

About the Author
Anjuan Simmons is an emerging technology consultant and freelance technology consultant currently working as a Director at Adverlyze, an online marketing strategy company. Anjuan has previously worked for Accenture and Deloitte. He has an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/anjuan and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/anjuan.
See all posts by anjuan.